Spike.



L. B. LAZEAR.

SPIKE.

APPLICATION FILED 00119, 1912.

1,069,442., Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

Wiimeooeo SPIKE.

LOGQAAZ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 5,1913.

Application filed October 19, 1912. Serial No. 726,797.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUOIAN B. LAZEAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at est Alexander, in the county of l/Vashington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spikes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to spikes and particularly to railroad spikes, and has for its object to provide an improved construction of spike particularly adapted for various uses to which spikes are put in railroad construction.

\Vith this object in view the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts of a spike of the character specified which will be hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically claimed.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an approved embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the shank, in which is formed a series of depressions 6, which are formed alike on all four sides of the shank, said shank being square or rectangular in cross section. The shoulders 7 are preferably inclined alternately in opposite directions, and extend entirely across the respective sides of the shank on which they are formed, each terminating in an acute angle at one side of the shank, so as to form a sharp biting edge on top of the shoulder. The shank tapers to a sharp point 8 at one end, while on the other end is formed a head 9, the top of said head being arched centrally over the shank, at 10, while the sides thereof are extended at 11 and 12, in opposite direc tions. The under side 13 of the extension 12 is substantially at right angles to the shank, and is therefore especially adapted for engagement with the horizontal top surfaces of securing flanges of rail chairs and the like which are formed from material of uniform thickness, while the inclined under surface 14 is at an acute angle to the shank and has the proper inclination for fitting snugly upon the inclined surfaces of rail flanges. I have shown this form of spike as having the sides of the head slightly extended over the corresponding sides of the spike at 15, but I do not consider this lateral extension of vital importance. The section 16 of the shank, which is interposed between the head and the notched and shouldered section, is of rectangular form, having smooth plane sides, the length of this rectangular section being approximately onefifth of the length of the shank, or of sufficient length to form a water-tight joint between the sides thereof and the surrounding wood, thereby preventing water from entering around the spike and standing in such small apertures as may exist around the shouldered portion of the shank.

I claim:

A railroad spike comprising a shank having a terminal head and a rectangular portion having equal sides, the body of said shank being formed with diagonal extending shoulders of varying angularity and having edged portions formed with teeth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LUCIAN B. LAZEAR. lVitnesses Lewis J. CoUNsnLMAN, WILLARD L. GARRIso-N.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

